Epsilon S Rocket Explosion Occurs during Engine Combustion Test; Marks Second Incident since Combustion Test Accident in July 2023 (UPDATE 1)

An explosion occurred Tuesday morning during a ground combustion test involving the second-stage engine of Japan’s new Epsilon S solid-fuel rocket. The incident was caused by abnormalities during the test at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture, s...